MELBOURNE 2009: Mitsubishi iMiEV is Electrifying
From some of your responses to my recent article about the Subaru Stella on show in Melbourne, I guessed that you may think I'm the usual middle-aged car-nut. Apparently, I hate the environment, and electric cars. Clearly, these people can't read.
As I said in that article, I love electric cars. Not ones like the Subaru Stella, though. I prefer ones that actually are a significant step toward sustainable and environmentally friendly motoring. Like this Mitsubishi iMiEV. And guess what? It's coming to a showroom near you. This is the good parts you need to know:
The Mitsubishi iMiEV may only have a 47kW motor, but with 180Nm it will have impressive acceleration, and it has a healthy top speed of 130kmh. If you don't believe that those figures are enough to provide "normal" acceleration, you only need to consider that the iMiEV weighs just over a tonne - 1080kg. It's plenty, trust me. Power comes from Lithium-ion batteries, and can give the iMiEV a range of 160km, which is more than enough for most daily commutes, or your lazy Sunday drive. Recharging the batteries at the end of the day takes between 7-14 hours from flat to fully charged, depending on your power source. That may sound like a lot, but most of the time, it won't take that long to fully charge it, because it won't be fully flat to start with, if you know what I mean. Putting it on charge overnight will do just fine.
So what are the downsides, assuming there are any? Yes, there are, but crucially, as I would like to point out, they are not as significant as they are with the Stella. Like the Stella, the iMiEV is expensive. At $30,000, it may be a seriously hefty price premium for a car that is only 3.4 metres long (a whole half a metre shorter than the Colt, which isn't a huge car to start with), but nevertheless, I must commend the iMiEV for putting environmentally friendly motoring within the financial reach of a lot of people. Not everyone, admittedly, and a car this small may not be practical for some people, but the iMiEV is highly space-efficient, since it is an electric adaptation of the hugely successful Mitsubishi i (which sadly isn't sold here).
Yes, it does have some limitations, but the Mitsubishi iMiEV is a huge step in the right direction, and one that is useable for an average Joe like me, everyday. That's a win-win. I can only hope that the Australian public take to it warmly, which will encourage other car makers to bring their new, high-tech electric cars to Australia.
MELBOURNE 2009: Subaru Makes A Stella Electric Failure
I love electric cars. But I hate electric cars like the Subaru Stella. I hate electric cars that give the false pretence of being glimpses of the future - the Subaru Stella is not the future. Not only is production unlikely, but everyday use is downright impractical. Yes, it is a plug-in electric car, and yes, that is wonderful, but this is a poor example of a car company talking up its green and technological credentials.
For example, the Stella can only do 80km on one charge. And also, it can only go up to a top speed of 100kmh. That sounds fine, because it makes you unable to speed, but at the same token, electric cars only have one gear, as opposed to the four, five, or six you get in normal cars these days. At the car's top speed, the Stella absolutely revs its guts off, which is useless for engine life, and power usage.
And here's the clincher. If the Subaru Stella went into production, it would cost $100,000. What a waste of good money! Get it away from me - it's pathetic.
